Shop

Nissan Juke Nismo Concept will debut in Tokyo [w/video]

We've just learned that Nissan's Nismo performance arm has been busy playing with the Juke, and the result is the Juke Nismo Concept that will debut later this week at the Tokyo Motor Show. While not nearly as wild as the GT-R-powered Juke-R that Nissan is also working on, the Juke Nismo Concept nonetheless represents something you might actually be able to park in your garage one day.

Changes to the standard Juke range from the Nismo-developed aero kit that replaces the front and rear lower bumpers, fenders and side sills to the inside of the sport hatchback where all of the elements that a driver comes in contact with – steering wheel, shifter, pedals, etc. – have been redesigned. Being a Nismo product, many functional changes were made as well, which include lowering the suspension on stiffer springs, adding larger 19-inch alloy wheels and tweaking the direct-injected 1.6-liter engine for an unmentioned amount of more power.

We'll seek out Nissan's booth on Wednesday for live pics of the Juke Nismo Concept, as well as the rest of the Japanese automaker's Tokyo Motor Show lineup.

Tokyo, Japan (29November 2011)– Nissan Motor Co., Ltdwill reveal a bold new future for its Nismo performance arm. One of the undoubted stars of the Tokyo Motor Show will bethe Nissan Juke Nismo, an idea of how a premium sports version of the hugely successful compact crossover could look.

With its distinctive styling Nissan Juke has redefined the highly competitive B-segment, but the Juke Nismo Concept is even more dramatic. It's lower, wider and has a tougher stance. Even standing still, it's clearly a performance car.

And as on a racecar, the Juke Nismo Concept body kit is designed not just to look good, but also to be dynamically highly efficient. New parts include revised bumpers front and rear, wider fenders and sill side skirts.

The grille pattern has been changed while the tailgate spoiler has been modified by the addition of side elements to control airflow more efficiently. Even the shape of the door mirrors has been altered to enhance the car's aerodynamic performance and reduce front and rear lift without increasing drag.

This reduction in lift means the contact patch of the tyres has been increased to improve grip, which is further enhanced by the arrival of stylish new 19-inch alloy wheels.

Naturally the Nismo treatment extends to the chassis which has been lowered and stiffened using proprietary parts of the sort that will be available from the expanded Nismo's parts catalogue, while the 1.6-litre direct injection turbo gasoline engine has been uprated to deliver more power and performance.

And Nismo touches can also be found in the interior of the Concept, where parts that interact with the driver's sense of sight, sound, look and feel –­ such as the steering wheel, pedals, gauges, shifter knob and door trims – have been redesigned to provide greater involvement when driving. Further underlining the performance aspects of the car, special leather-trimmed bucket seats have been added while the importance of the tachometer means the dial and needle are illuminated in red.

A feeling of enhanced sporting quality in the cockpit can be attributed to a toned-downeffect applied to previously lightcolouredsurfaces, while the dramatic centre console – shaped to resemble a motorcycle fuel tank – has been given a metallic coating to enhance the purposeful feeling of the Concept.

"As the Concept shows, Nismo brings new levels of individuality to mainstream Nissan cars like Juke. The future for Nismo is to develop premium sports designs for an ever-widening range of customers," said Nismo President, Shoichi Miyatani.

"Our forthcoming range of cars will be just as accessible and innovative as every Nissan product, but with added Nismo energy they will be even more fun to own and drive," he added.

Reported comments and users are reviewed by Autoblog staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week to determine whether they violate Community Guideline. Accounts are penalized for Community Guidelines violations and serious or repeated violations can lead to account termination.

Nissan is one of the last companies with serious cajones. If something is interesting, they just do it.
Make a two-door convertible SUV? Nissan: ehhh... f'it. Lets do it.
Create an asymmetrical car named after geometry? Nissan: MAKE IT SO.
Put a GT-R engine in a Juke? Nissan: Let it ride!